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TOP SECRET.  CTF 77 SENDS ACTION COMINCH INFO CINCSWPA CINCPOA COM 3RD FLEET COMAIRPAC COMDESPAC COM 7TH FLEET.

WITH THE DEEPEST REGRET I REPORT THE LOSS OF 2 CVE'S 2 DD'S AND 1 DE PLUS DAMAGE TO OTHER SHIPS IN A BATTLE FOUGHT TO THE EASTWARD OF SAMAR ON 25 OCTOBER BETWEEN ENEMY AIR AND SURFACE FORCES AND A GROUP OF 16 CVE'S PLUS DD AND DE ESCORTS.  THIS GROUP WITH SUPERB DETERMINATION AND SKILL FOUGHT AND DEFEATED A STRONG ENEMY SURFACE FORCE SUPPORTED BY REPEATED ATTACKS BY SHORE BASED ENEMY AIRCRAFT.  THEY STRUCK REPEATEDLY WITH ALL MEANS AT THEIR DISPOSAL UNTIL THE ENEMY RETIRED DEFEATED AND CONTINUED TO STRIKE HIS RETREATING FORCES UNTIL DARKNESS.  THE REPORT OF THE VALLIANT COMMANDER AND THIS GALLANT GROUP REAR ADMIRAL T L SPRAGUE IS TRANSMITTED HEREWITH.  

"CTG 77.4 DISPATCHED 252000.  AS A RESULT OF TODAY'S SURFACE AND AIR ACTION CTU 77.4.3 REPORTS SAINT LO (FORMER MIDWAY) HIT BY DIVE BOMBER

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FOLLOWED BY HEAVY EXPLOSIONS WHICH DESTROYED SHIP.  GAMBIER BAY JOHNSTON AND ROBERTS MISSING SINCE BOMBARDMENT BY STRONG ENEMY FORCE BELIEVED TO CONTAIN 4 BB 8 CA AND CL 7 OR MORE DD ALL VERY FAST.  ALL CARRIER GROUPS WERE UNDER ATTACK THROUGHOUT THE DAY.  SANTEE RECEIVED TORPEDO HIT AND SUICIDE CRASH ON DECK WHICH STARTED LARGE FIRE.  SUWANNEE RECEIVED SUICIDE CRASH WHICH STARTED LARGE FIRE AND PENETRATED BOTH FLIGHT AND HANGAR DECK.  SANGAMON HAD A SUICIDE CRASH ALONGSIDE WITH BOMB WHICH PUNCTURED SIDE IN MANY PLACES.  FIRES AND DAMAGE WERE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL AND ALL VESSELS CONTINUED TO LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST THE ENEMY FORCE TILL SUNDOWN.  VESSELS OF TASK UNIT 77.4.2 WERE UNHIT UP TO LATE AFTERNOON AND THIS GROUP LAUNCHED A TOTAL OF 6 HEAVY STRIKES ARMED WITH TORPEDOES AND HEAVY BOMBS.  NORTHERN GROUP TU 77.4.3 WAS UNDER MORE OR LESS CONTINUOUS FIRE OF ENEMY BATTLESHIPS CRUISERS AND AIRCRAFT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

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ALL SURVIVING CARRIERS WERE DAMAGED.  WHITE PLAINS FANSHAW BAY AND KITKUN BAY GOT FIRES AND OTHER DAMAGE UNDER CONTROL AND CONTINUED TO LAUNCH ATTACKS UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY.  LAST STRIKES FROM ALL SHIPS WERE OVERTAKEN BY DARKNESS AND MANY LANDED ON LEYTE.  DAMAGE TO ENEMY CANNOT BE ASSESSED AT PRESENT BUT KNOWN DAMAGE INCLUDES 4 TORPEDOES IN BB AND NATORI CLASS CRUISER STOPPED AND SET AFIRE IN MINDANO SEA.  OFF SAMAR AT LEAST 2 BB WERE HIT BY TORPEDOES AND 1 CA STOPPED DEAD.  DD AND DE OF SCREEN TU 77.4.3 MADE A GALLANT HEADON ATTACK WITH GUNS AND TORPEDOES WHEN THE CARRIERS WERE BROUGHT UNDER FIRE BY THE ENEMY BB.  CASUALTIES OF SUNK AND MISSING SHIPS CANNOT BE ESTIMATED.  THERE WERE 40 DEAD AND 40 CRITICALLY WOUNDED ON SANTEE.  1 DEAD ON SANGAMON.  1 DEAD ON ROWELL.  REPORTS FROM OTHER TASK UNITS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE.  RICHARD S BULL AND EVERSOLE WERE ORDERED TO SCENE ON SINKINGS TO RECOVER SURVIVORS REPORTED IN THE WATER.

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REPORT OF SINKINGS RECEIVED TOO LATE TO USE DAYLIGHT TODAY BUT SEARCH WILL BE CONTINUED ASSISTED BY AIRCRAFT TOMORROW.  DURING RETIREMENT COOLBAUGH GOT WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE A SURE KILL OF SUB WHILE PROCEEDING SOUTH ACROSS SHEARWATER.  SHE WAS ORDERED TO SIT ON HER CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.  THE SPROSTON ALSO HAD GOOD CONTACT AND HAS SIMILAR ORDERS.  SPROSTON SHOT DOWN 1 NIGHT RAIDER WHICH WAS ATTEMPTING TO ATTACK TU 77.4.3.  NO ESTIMATE OF TOTAL AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN CAN BE MADE AT THIS TIME BUT THE NUMBER IS CONSIDERABLE.  LAST STRIKES OF DAY WERE WITH ENEMY ON WESTERLY COURSES IN SAN BERNARDINO STRAIT."

THIS ACTION AND THAT OF THE PRECEDING NIGHT IN WHICH A STRONG ENEMY SURFACE FORCE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY DEFEATED IN SURIGAO STRAITS BY THE SURFACE UNITS OF THE 7TH FLEET UNDER REAR ADMIRAL J B OLDENDORF ARE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO TOKYO.  TOGETHER THEY

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CONSTITUTE THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF.

COMINCH:  COPIES 1 TO 8.